Hague School

They rebelled against artists who idealised reality in their painting and the Romantic tradition. Instead, The Hague School artists strived to create an accurate rendering of reality that was inspired by the mood of the moment. They admired Dutch art of the 17th century as well as the artists of the Barbizon School in France, who worked outdoors in nature as much as possible from circa 1840s onwards. The Dutch artists Jozef Israëls, thebrothers Maris and Anton Mauve also used a loose brushstroke to depict Dutch landscapes, farmers and fishers. The Hague School artists were particularly focused on capturing the light and atmosphere of the Netherlands, often in silver grey tones. This is why the movement was also known as the ‘grey school’.